Recently, I have been using a laptop which has a different key layout compares to  my usual keyboard.  My usual way of pressing Control key (Ctrl) is by moving my fingers to the first button of the bottom left corner on the keyboard, but the laptop has Function key (Fn) at the first bottom left, the control key has became the second left key.

When I first used this laptop (which is not mine), I always made mistakes when I wanted to press on the most frequent used key - “Ctrl” but accidentally press the “Fn”.  Later I started to get used to it (Ctrl at second place).

Now here comes another problem.  When I use my own keyboard, I always made some mistake by pressing the second key for Ctrl, which is the Window button and it never happen to me before I use the laptop.

Now occasionally, I still made some mistake on both computer keyboards.  :(  I hope I can adapt to both keyboards at the same time.

This experience tells me that if I want to get a keyboard or laptop in the future, I won’t choose those that have FN key as first left button  and then Ctrl key at the second place.

Although this is a small matter, but the non-standardize keyboard actually decreases the users’ performances if the users need to switch between keyboards.

I have encountered another poorly designed keyboard owned by my friend, where the Power button is under the Delete button.  Every time when I wanted to press the Delete button, I accidentally pressed the Power button and the computer went into Standby mode.  I don’t like this type of keyboard.

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However, I have encountered other types of keyboards, such as a German keyboard where “Y” swaps with “Z”, and UK keyboard where “@” swaps with ” (double quote).  Besides, they also have strange characters on them which I have never seen on the US keyboard which I usually use.

If I were going to design a computer keyboard, I wish I can design a keyboard that can prevent foreign small objects to slip between the keys and drop into the keyboard which cause it to malfunction.  May be it is available in the market now which is similar to a laptop keyboard.

Many users especially those from the accounting department of some local companies which I have worked with previously stored a lot stapler bullets in their keyboards.  :P  There was one time, I found about countless of  stapler bullets when I turned it upside down and shook it.  Amazing  !!! ….